Harness maker was a presence on Main Street a century ago
By Bill Lattin, Orleans County Historian
ALBION – Sam Watt stands by an open door to his downtown Albion harness shop around 1905.
Windows in the second and third floor are filled with advertising.
In 1923, The Citizens National Bank building was enlarged, thus taking over the space.
Watt’s building was demolished for this expansion.
A corner of the bank shows along the left side of our photo.
Sam Watt later conducted his harness repair work out of a barn behind his home on East Park Street.
Naturally, the automobile put harness makers pretty much out of business.
Yet at the time this picture was taken they were still in great demand.